Lazy or Fastidious?

Not many orchestral works were composed by Lyadov. Apparently he was a slow, meticulous worker, one well respected by composers.

Lyadov liked dreamy, fantastical settings for orchestra, and that is fully on display with this recording. Only the Polonaises contribute consistent oomph musically, although the composer affords muscle every now and then.

Sometimes a like a recording for a detail it brings to a composer's music. Here, Chandos has miked the harp in such a way as to make it sound utterly magical, important in these works. I doubt another recording has this aspect.

With each collection of Lyadov's orchestral music though, some works will always be missing. So to get it all, you need to search around. This one is very good, although quite refined compared to other Russian ensembles.

It is worth it for exploring the composer.

A review from 2024

Poor Anatol Liadov…he is forever pigeon-holed as a lazy composer, mainly due to Stravinsky’s scoring of The Firebird. Recent scholarship suggests otherwise, but the damage is done for the composer’s legacy. Luckily for us today, there are enough recordings to enjoy the beautiful craftsmanship of his music, regardless of what history has stamped Liadov’s speed as, or the lack thereof.

Lyadov seems to have preferred airy fantastical atmospheres, each rather colourful with occasional Mussorgsky-ian muscle, as well as a dedicated proponent of Russian folk music, all evident in this collection. His well-known orchestral miniatures are here, but spread out across the recording amongst the march-like Polonaises, Mazurkas, Scherzos, and orchestrated folksongs.

This is not a complete collection of Lyadov’s orchestral music however, where one can find a few others scattered about. He wrote some short fanfares, found on ASV , and of course From Olden Times, Nénie, Dance of the Amazons, and the Musical Snuffbox can be found on other recordings from Neeme Jarvi,  Svetlanov, and Veronika Dudarova, both in rougher sound and performances, yet wonderful in their own right.

But this is a nice collection in splendid sonics from Chandos. Vassily Sinaisky elicits lovely sounds from the BBC Philharmonic, although one might want to check out the Dudarova recording for a more authentic Motherland approach.

 

Listen on YouTube

 

Works
Baba-Yaga (3.27)
From the Apocalypse (8.41)
Rubinstein Polonaise (4.34)
Enchanted Lake (7.37)
Village Scene by the Inn (7.07)
Kikimora (7.25)
Eight Russian Folksongs (13.55)
Scherzo (6.12)
Pushkin Polonaise (7.11)

Ensemble
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Vassily Sinaisky

Label: Chandos
Year: 2001
Total Timing: 66.34

 

 

 

Quite a bit of Lyadov's colorfully Russian music is here.

Some might prefer the scrappier takes from Dudarova and Svetlanov, and indeed those should be heard as well.

Plus, each Lyadov recording gives you a little more music to explore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Find more Liadov recordings HERE!